In this new position, Myers will contribute to arXiv's scientific direction and policies and serve on both the Scientific Advisory Board and the Member Advisory Board. His work will complement that of Oya Rieger, Cornell University Library’s Associate University Librarian for Digital Scholarship & Preservation Services, who serves as the program director of arXiv, with responsibility for membership, business planning and managing the Library’s arXiv team.

“Since its inception, arXiv has transformed the nature of scientific communication,” Myers said. “Its importance is reflected in its expanding user base and the broad and enthusiastic support of the scientific community. This position is a great opportunity to help arXiv continue to grow, and I look forward to working with all the members of the arXiv community to continue in this tradition of innovation and excellence.”

Myers is an adjunct professor in the Department of Physics and the Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics at Cornell, a senior research associate in the Institute of Biotechnology, and a former associate director of the Cornell Theory Center. He has served as a moderator for arXiv’s quantitative biology section on molecular networks — the area of his own research — since 2008. With a Ph.D. in physics, and a research background that includes the fields of geophysics, materials science, computational science and theoretical biology, Myers has broad experience in the wide range of subject areas covered by arXiv.

Myers will begin the position in June and serve through the end of 2015. During that time, he will work with a team from the Library and the two advisory boards to prepare for the search for a permanent scientific director.

arXiv’s current structure is part of a new governance and business model that aims to keep the repository financially sustainable and engage the libraries and research laboratories that benefit most from its service. To date, it has garnered 173 member institutions representing 22 countries.

Cornell University Library provides stewardship for arXiv, which came to Cornell when founder Paul Ginsparg joined the faculty in 2001. Ginsparg continues to contribute to arXiv as a member of the Scientific Advisory Board.

arXiv includes research in physics, mathematics, statistics, computer science and related disciplines. As an open-access service, it allows scientists to share “preprint” research before publication. In 2013, arXiv saw nearly 67 million downloads from all over the world and received more than 92,500 new submissions.